Impure Foods

We now embark upon a mission of evidence, proving with undeniable testimony, all that we have been stating about Father God and the fact that no partiality whatsoever is found in Him . Also, that He does not show favouritism.

Our point of proof is a very familiar and frankly speaking, unlawful scene, which is taking place in Joppa. Three Gentiles, men who have left their homes in Caesarea, have travelled all that way to come to the house of a Jew, where Peter is presently staying. These Gentlemen are at a Jewish man’s house, asking for one of the man’s guests, who is also a Jew, as his host. Unheard-of! Unthought-of! But the sight is true.

Here is our Scripture text. Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. Acts 11: 11

Peter himself is recounting this change, which God has wrought in him, one which has cured him from showing any more favouritism of people, as he was taught as a Jewish child. Here are a few noted facts about Peter however, which remind us of who he is. We already know that he is a Jew, born and bred. Now here are some interesting and noteworthy facts about him.

• He is one of the faithful followers of Jesus.

• He is the one who denied Jesus three times, and who, three times, made confession to Jesus that he truly loved Him.

• He is one who witnessed the Risen Lord, sat with Him, ate with Him and learned from Him.

• He is one who did mighty miracles in the Name of Jesus.

• He is one who, after receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of Jesus, spoke to the entire crowd, on that first Pentecost Day.

• He is the one, zealous for Christ, who is carrying out the mission and mandate of Jesus his Master.

• He is Peter, the Rock, on which the Lord said that He will build His church.

• He is one of the top apostles and disciples.

It is this servant of Jesus Christ, who has been given this different and very strange vision. While praying, Peter has this ‘outside the box’ vision. Peter is telling the other believers about his experience. He is telling the Church, the body of believers, that when the voice from heaven told him, for the third time, Do not call anything impure that God has made clean, at the door were three men, who had been sent to get him. Right then, at that same moment, just as the heavenly voice spoke to Peter the third time, saying the same words, these three men appeared. For many, this would be a coincidence. Some might simply say, it’s one of those things in life and leave it at that. But that was not so for Peter. That was the Hand of God.

Also, at the same time that his Lord had Peter changed in heart and mind, at the precise moment of his acceptance of those things he called unclean and impure and stayed clear of, those that God had made clean, three unclean men had come to call him. Can you hear Peter explaining this to all those believers, those Church people, who did not have his experience? Can you see him talking off his head, to all those believers who truly loved Jesus, who were His followers and who felt that they were being all their Lord and Master wanted them to be? Peter had known a change that only God could work in him. God wanted the same for His people.

We must not miss this fact. The favouring of some animals over others, the calling of some clean and others unclean is nothing Peter made up. He was taught this from young; something ingrained in his very psyche. That was all Peter knew, for he and the body of Jewish believers, to whom he was speaking, lived not having anything to do with unclean foods. Such was and still is the Jewish law.

Where are you with foods and your belief about some being impure and improper, while others are seen as fitting, pure and right to eat, due to traditions and religious beliefs?

What is Jesus teaching us in this time? Are we being taught the same lessons which Peter was taught and which he Peter, was now teaching the other disciples, the then Church?

Think about it.